STROOD PEREGRINE

A peregrine flew across the Strood channel and then headed over the Strood fields towards West Mersea on a breezy and damp Easter Monday 10th. 

The great white egret was stalking along the Strood borrowdyke on Monday.

The great white egret then flew onto the nearby field beside three little egrets that were also there.

Ten black-tailed godwits were feeding on the last of the mud before high tide along the Strood on Monday, also eleven avocets feeding too. 

A pair of shoveler on the Strood fields was unusual on Monday, 21 shelduck and two ringed plovers were also on the fields, while five pochard flew off the Strood reservoirs and landed on the mainland side. Two swallows were flying over the Firs caravan park, a blackcap was singing down the side and a sparrowhawk was being followed by eight goldfinches in Firs Chase.

At Cudmore Grove on Monday Shaun Bater reported the pond very quiet with just a pair of mallard and two little grebes, while two greylag geese, a brent goose and two swallows were in the grazing fields. The little owl was in the kestrel box, two avocets on the Golfhouse pools and two linnets by the Golfhouse. A red-legged partridge was seen in Dawes Lane.

Three sand martins were seen flying along the park dyke on Monday by Caroline White.

On Sunday 9th Caroline White saw three corn buntings, two red-legged partridges, kestrel and a brown hare in Dawes Lane, while at Maydays five corn buntings, two yellowhammers and three reed buntings were seen. A greylag goose, nine shoveler, fifty brent geese and a brown hare were on Reeveshall. 

At Cudmore Grove Caroline reported two blackcaps, three chiffchaffs, kestrel and a water rail calling, two Canada geese, two green woodpeckers, pochard, two little grebes and a swallow. At Rewsalls boating lake some linnets, five reed buntings, while near Cross Lane were two chiffchaffs, greenfinch, Cetti's warbler and also a marsh harrier over fields at the top of the lane.

On Saturday 8th Andy Field walked the Cudmore circuit and photographed this swallow perched on wires near the horse paddocks, also two buzzards seen here too. Other birds noted on the walk were five chiffchaffs, two blackcaps, two Cetti's warblers heard, at least three water rails heard at the park pond, three lapwings on the fields including a pair mating, two Canada geese flew over, ten pairs of shoveler, five pochard, five avocets on the Golfhouse pools, also on the walk were a red squirrel and a muntjac deer.

An adder was basking on the Maydays seawall on Saturday, in the same location 100m east of the seawall corner, where one was often seen last spring too. A peacock butterfly was seen beside the seawall.

A barnacle goose flew down the Pyefleet channel on Saturday along with two Canada geese, also five greylag geese noted during a walk along the Maydays and Reeveshall seawalls.

Two pairs of red-breasted mergansers and five great crested grebes were in the Pyefleet channel, as was a common seal. Four marsh harriers, at least eight buzzards and a sparrowhawk were noted flying about. 

A swallow was hunting over Reeveshall fields and two brown hares were in one field. A Cetti's warbler and four chiffchaffs were singing at Maydays while the northerly breeze helped carry the songs of two Cetti's warblers and a chiffchaff from Langenhoe across the Pyefleet to the Maydays seawall.

Caroline White saw a marsh harrier in Chapmans Lane on Saturday morning, also chiffchaffs and five greenfinches in Cross Lane.

There were six little egrets feeding on the Maydays and Bower Hall saltmarsh on Saturday.

Eight black-tailed godwits were feeding close to the Strood seawall on Friday 7th, also two avocets and a great crested grebe in the channel. A great white egret flew from the Strood fields over the seawall towards Feldy marsh on the mainland.

A few birds of prey enjoyed the sunny weather on Friday with this tatty buzzard over Feldy View one of seven buzzards noted. A red kite flew over the top of Strood Hill and was later seen flying west over the Hard, while two marsh harriers and two sparrowhawks were also seen. Three swallows, yellow wagtail heard and four calling chiffchaffs were also noted. 

In the Firs Chase garden a chiffchaff, brimstone and peacock butterflies were seen.

Caroline White walked the Cudmore circuit on Friday morning and noted five chiffchaff, little owl in the kestrel box, an avocet on the pools, buzzard, reed bunting, pair of greylag geese, great tit nesting in an old great spotted woodpecker hole along the horseride. Later in the day two avocets were on the Golfhouse pools, a cormorant eating an eel in the dyke while a buzzard was seen hunting over a field at Chapmans Lane.

Shaun Bater reported a chiffchaff heard in Empress Avenue and great spotted woodpecker in Broomhills Road on Friday morning while later in the afternoon a little owl was heard calling near the top end of Cross Lane.

Three swallows flew west past Michael Thorley's East Mersea garden near Meeting Lane on Friday.

Steve Entwistle counted 74 corn buntings at Maydays alongside Haycocks Lane on Wednesday 5th, also ten yellowhammers, Cetti's warbler by the seawall, two mute swans and six geese possibly Canada geese.

Martin Cock walked from Cudmore Grove to the Oyster Fishery on Wednesday and found a sedge warbler singing at the park pond, also a swallow, sand martin, little owl, 13 pochard, a few chiffchaffs, leucistic redshank, three marsh harriers and a pair of ringed plover at the Point.

Steve Entwistle didn't see the sedge warbler but did see the little owl chase the female kestrel from the nestbox at the park, also a swallow and the calling water rail at the pond.

No Landing signs were erected on Cobmarsh Island and Packing Marsh Island with the help of Kieren Alexander of the RSPB and with the help of Jim Pullen's boat. The signs ask people not to land on parts of the islands during the bird nesting season. People can still land on Packing Marsh but there is a roped off area of beach for nesting birds that is signed.

The signs were put up on Wednesday just in time with one ringed plover starting to lay eggs on Cobmarsh - one well camouflaged newly laid egg is pictured in the middle foreground. Five ringed plovers were seen on Cobmarsh Island, also five sanderling, fifty oystercatchers, reed bunting, Egyptian goose, little egret, 100 brent geese, along with 300+ herring gulls and a couple of lesser black-backed gulls. A buzzard and a red kite were seen flying west over the Mersea Quarters.

Two sloe carpets were on the side of Marion Potifar's house in Shop Lane on Sunday morning, taking a picture of one of them. The last time she had had seen them here was in 2018 on two dates that April. Sloe carpets have become nationally scarce in recent years with Essex one of the last strongholds for them now.

A red chestnut was in the Firs Chase moth trap on Sunday 9th.

Only one or two hebrew characters have been in the garden moth trap in the last fortnight.

KITE OVER CUDMORE

There was plenty of action at Cudmore Grove on Tuesday 4th with this red kite first seen by Steve Entwistle and then photographed by Shaun Bater as it passed over the pond and grazing fields, being one of the highlights. The first sand martin this spring on the island was seen by Jack Hoy at the park. 

Shaun noted during his Cudmore circuit walk on Tuesday song thrush and blackcap at the park entrance, while at the pond were five little egrets, two gadwall, two tufted duck, three pochard, little grebe, calling water rail and a greylag goose nest-building. Also at the park were two Cetti's warblers, five chiffchaffs, two kestrels, two reed buntings, grey heron, two mute swans flying over, four ringed plover at the Point and three avocets on the Golfhouse pools. In West Mersea four greenfinch were in Shaun's garden.

Andy Field also walked the Cudmore circuit on Tuesday and in addition to Shaun's sightings, also found six siskins feeding in the alders near the park pond also eight shoveler on the park fields, a red squirrel and two adders in the park. Later in West Mersea two Mediterranean gulls flew over Andy's garden.

Steve Entwistle also reported a sparrowhawk flying above the alders near the park pond on Tuesday.

One of the four ringed plovers at the East Mersea Point, photographed by Shaun Bater on Tuesday.

A brown hare in a field by Bromans Lane on Tuesday photographed by Shaun.

Brown hare photographed by Shaun.

Along the Strood seawall on a sunny Tuesday 4th, birds of note included a great crested grebe, 70 brent geese, nine shelduck, one golden plover, Mediterranean gull, two little egrets, two sparrowhawks, two buzzzards, kestrel and a chiffchaff singing in Firs Chase.

A buzzard drifted north-west over the Firs Chase garden in the morning.

On Monday 3rd Martin Cock walked from Cudmore Grove round to the Oyster Fishery and noted two Cetti's warblers, six chiffchaffs, two greylag geese nest building on the park pond, two Canada geese, the leucistic redshank, four avocets by the Golfhouse pools, four young moorhens at the Oyster Fishery and a brimstone butterfly.

At Rewsalls marshes on Monday there were 105 redshank, 175 turnstones, 12 dunlin, 11 brent geese, Mediterranean gull pair, nine little egrets, three singing Cetti's warblers, pair of buzzards, pair of red-legged partridge near Waldegraves, also thirty great crested grebes offshore. A chiffchaff was singing at the Youth Camp.

A few butterflies were enjoying the sunshine on Sunday 2nd April with this peacock seen near the beach at the Youth Camp.

Two comma butterflies were seen in Cross Lane on Sunday, also a brimstone flew past here, also one by the boating lake and another in the Firs Chase garden.

The wintering greenshank was roosting again at high tide at the Rewsalls side-lake on Sunday. Other waders on Rewsalls were forty curlew, four grey plover, thirty redshank, thirty turnstones, two Mediterranean gulls, three little egrets and two great black-backed gulls.

A chiffchaff fed along a hedgerow at the East Mersea boating lake on Sunday, also three singing near Waldegraves and Cross Lane. A swallow flying over the pine-wood at Waldegraves on Sunday was the first report of a sighting on the island this spring. 

From Cross Lane were a buzzard, male yellowhammer, Cetti's warbler while at Waldegraves a Cetti's warbler, little egret, sparrowhawk, 30 sanderling and great northern diver offshore.

A red kite and a buzzard flew over Martin Cock's West Mersea garden on Sunday morning. 

At Cudmore Grove a pair of kestrels was seen by the yellow nest-box by Caroline Wilson. 

Michael Thorley saw nine peacock butterflies and a greenfinch singing in his East Mersea garden near Meeting Lane on Sunday.

A red squirrel has been a regular visitor in recent days to Steve Entwistle's Empress Drive garden where it takes the monkey nuts from the back garden.

Andy Field walked the Cudmore circuit on Saturday 1st and noted five chiffchaffs, water rail squealing from the park pond, song thrush singing, Cetti's warbler calling near the hide, 19 black-tailed godwits, 30 curlew, pair of lapwing and four Canada geese on the grazing fields.

Two male marsh harriers and a chiffchaff were noted in the drizzle at Maydays on Saturday by Martin Cock. A pair of red-legged partridge was seen in Dawes Lane by Steve Entwistle.

Ron Harvey filmed two hedgehogs on his trail camera having a tussle together in his back garden in Whittaker Way on Friday night.

WET FOR WILDFOWL

More rain on the last day of March continued the unsettled and wet pattern for the month. The grazing fields at Cudmore Grove on Friday 31st were as wet as they've been all winter providing ideal conditions for those wildfowl and waders still present. A pair of greylag geese was on the park pond, presumably eyeing up suitable nesting spots.

Also present on the park pond were four pochard.

Four tufted ducks were on the pond on Friday and another eight were on the nearby borrowdyke.

A water rail and Cetti's warbler were heard at the pond while four chiffchaffs and a blackcap were singing at the country park. Two chiffchaffs were seen by the Golfhouse track.

The little owl on Friday was gazing out over the grazing fields from the old kestrel nestbox, although when it started raining, the owl dropped back inside and out of view.

On the fields were 100 brent geese, six shelduck, a pair of gadwall, twenty mallard, four teal, twenty wigeon, three lapwing and 12 black-tailed godwits.

Peering through the rain, six sanderling and ten ringed plovers were on the recently uncovered mudflats and six great crested grebes were in the Colne.

On Thursday 30th Shaun Bater walked the Cudmore circuit and photographed this group of black-tailed godwits on the grazing fields - some of the twenty present. Also seen were a song thrush by the park entrance, 3 chiffchaffs and a Cetti's warbler heard, on the pond were two gadwall, two pochard, two shelduck, five tufted duck, two little grebe and two long-tailed tits here. 

The firecrest was seen again by Shaun, present for the second day along the horseride past the bird-hide, feeding with a tit flock. The bird was first found on Wednesday by Andy Field.

On the grazing fields were a shoveler, ten shelduck, ten redshank, 30 curlew and 400 brent geese.

Two wheatears were found on the Cudmore Grove seawall on Thursday afternoon by Caroline White.

Jon Ward photographed this chiffchaff at Cudmore Grove on Thursday from the bird-hide.

One of two redwing at the park was also photographed by Jon.

A song thrush near the park entrance photographed by Jon.

A redshank was feeding close to the Strood seawall on Thursday morning.

A male yellow wagtail flew off the seawall and crossed over to Ray Island where it landed on the edge of the saltings. Two snipe were flushed off the very wet grass field by the Strood by a couple of walkers. In the middle wet field were 80 brent geese, 16 golden plover, three ringed plover,  Mediterranean gull and 200 starlings. A great crested grebe was in the channel.

A blackcap and chiffchaff were seen in Firs Chase.

A kingfisher was seen catching a few tiddlers in the Strood borrowdyke on Wednesday 29th. It then flew low over the saltmarsh towards the Strood reservoirs.

A male marsh harrier hunted low along the dyke and was later flushed from the reedbed carrying a bird like a moorhen which it carried over to the mainland. A buzzard and sparrowhawk were seen, while in the channel were three great crested grebes, four little grebes, six avocets, 15 teal and four wigeon.

 

Some of the 150 brent geese seen from the Strood seawall on Wednesday were feeding in one of the grass fields. A flock of 20 corn buntings was feeding in the Strood Hill field, 16 golden plover and one ringed plover were in the flooded field.

In the Mersea Quarters there were about 300 herring gulls with most of them following a fishing boat towards the Hard. In Firs Chase two male blackcaps were seen together, presumably one of them being the bird that has overwintered and the other being a new migrant just arrived. A chiffchaff heard singing here and song thrush too.

A barn owl was photographed by Andy Field as it slowly made its way through the alder tree towards the owl nestbox on Wednesday 29th at Cudmore Grove. 

Another owl photographed by Andy on Wednesday at Cudmore Grove was the little owl perched in the kestrel nestbox.

A firecrest was a good find for Andy at the park on Wednesday morning. Last year there were no firecrests found on the Island. This one was found just beyond the bird-hide in the ivy covered trees.

The little owl was still perched in the nestbox later on Wednesday morning for Shaun Bater to photograph. As well as seeing the firecrest at the park, other birds seen during a walk of the Cudmore circuit were song thrush at the park entrance, four chiffchaffs heard and two seen, Cetti's warbler, two little grebes, pair of pochard, water rail heard at the pond. 

Shaun also saw the kestrel above the park cliffs, two greylag geese in the fields, also 600 brent geese, 20 curlew, 20 teal and wigeon, six tufted duck in the dyke and also fifty curlew feeding in the field behind Bromans Farm. Four brown hares were seen in a field near Bromans Lane by Martin Cock.

Birds noted along the Strood seawall on Tuesday 28th were five Canada geese flying, 26 shelduck, 12 teal, two great crested grebes, four black-tailed godwits and five avocets in the channel, seventy golden plover and a big flock of 800 starlings feeding in the fields. Two chiffchaffs were beside the caravan site and another in Firs Chase, also two blackcaps in the garden here.

SOME EARLY SPRING SUNSHINE

Some early spring sunshine on Monday 27th saw several birds of prey soaring in the skies over East Mersea. On a walk between Shop Lane and Meeting Lane, and areas just beyond each Lane, there were five pairs of buzzards seen - over North Farm, Fishponds Wood, near Shop Lane, Gyants Marsh and also two seen over Meeting Lane.

Some of the buzzards were calling, some circling overhead or perched in trees and there was one bird seen displaying over one of the woods.

A male marsh harrier appeared from Reeveshall and flew over fields near Meeting Lane on Monday.

A pair of sparrowhawks circled briefly together and a kestrel was near Shop Lane.

Ten shelduck were resting beside a wet pasture at the back of Reeveshall on Monday.

Chiffchaffs were heard singing at Gyants Marsh, North Farm and two in Shop Lane, while three Cetti's warblers were singing from hedgerows with one near Meeting Lane and two to the east of Gyants Marsh.

Two red admirals were enjoying the sunshine while sheltering out of the northerly breeze on Monday, just east of Meeting Lane.

At West Mersea a red kite was seen flying over Andy Field's house in High Street North on Monday morning.

Steve Entwistle saw a blackcap and 2 chiffchaffs on the south side of the Firs Caravan park also two red squirrels in the same tree on Monday. Later at Cudmore Grove an adder and a pair of long-tailed tits.

On Sunday 26th a pair of chiffchaffs was in Ron Harvey's garden in Whittaker Way and a chiffchaff was singing in Firs Chase too.

Along the Strood seawall on Sunday during a mid-day walk were 25 shelduck, ten avocets, 75 golden plover, nine ringed plover, three little egrets and two linnets were of interest.

An adder was photographed at Cudmore Grove on Saturday 25th by Andy Field.

Oliver Cottis also photographed an adder at Cudmore Grove on Saturday.

A common lizard was watching Oliver very closely as took this photograph at the park on Saturday.

A fox was photographed at the park on Saturday by Oliver.

Probably the same fox seen at the park on Saturday morning, this time photographed by Andy Field.

Walking the Cudmore circuit round the seawall, Andy noted a siskin, two chiffchaffs, eight pochard, 56 curlews, 14 black-tailed godwits, four lapwings on fields, two Cetti's warblers heard, sparrowhawk and a peregrine.

At Maydays and Reeveshall on Saturday 25th, birds noted there included eight red-breasted mergansers, two great crested grebes, 70 redshank, two Mediterranean gulls, two marsh harriers, buzzard, two Canada geese, four greylag geese, 44 stock doves, two pairs of mute swans, chiffchaff singing, 30 chaffinches, ten goldfinches and ten yellowhammers feeding in a game crop. Four brown hares were chasing each other in a wheat field and a brimstone butterfly flew along a hedgerow.

STROOD GREAT WHITE EGRET

The great white egret was back along the Strood dyke on Friday 24th.

A black-headed gull felt threatened by the great white egret and began mobbing it.

The great white egret waded through the large pools of water in the very wet fields beside the Strood seawall.

A short flight across the field saw the great white egret spread its large wings out as it landed.

The great white egret had been feeding amongst the thick stand of club-rush along the Strood dyke. Also in the fields were a little egret, 70 golden plover and three ringed plover.

The kingfisher which has been seen a few times over the last week along the Strood dyke was seen on Friday perched in a bush over one of the ditches running back inland from the seawall.

Along the Strood channel of interest were three avocets, great crested grebe, three black-tailed godwit, forty grey plovers and two Canada geese flying over.

A dark threatening cloud just missed the Strood fields on Friday with a few spots of drizzle, although apparently nearby West Mersea was hit with a torrential downpour of hailstones.

At Maydays a red kite, three buzzards, male stonechat, yellowhammer and a chiffchaff were seen by Martin Cock on Friday morning.

Jack Hoy saw a red-legged partridge perch on a shed roof in Mersea Avenue on Friday.

The Strood kingfisher was found perched beside the dyke in a bramble bush on Thursday 23rd, before it flew off and over the seawall and saltmarsh towards the Strood fishing reservoirs.

A peregrine flew low over the Strood fields scattering the gulls and waders as it made its way rapidly over to Ray Island in the strong wind on Thursday.

In the wet Strood fields were 45 shelduck, 100 golden plover, three little egrets and four ringed plover. 

Four redwing were feeding in the field beside Feldy View.

A Mediterranean gull just coming into its breeding plumage was bobbing on the water along the Strood Channel on Thursday, also a great crested grebe seen.

An adder was photographed by Trudie Beckwith beside the dyke at Cudmore Grove on Thursday. Her dog Indi had seen and smelt it first, and was called quickly away. The adder was then seen sliding into the water and Trudie managed to take this picture with her mobile phone.

On Wednesday 22nd three ringed plovers were seen on the beach, close to the seawall at Cudmore Grove Country park. 

Also on the beach at Cudmore Grove was a skylark feeding amongst the plants.

On the wet grazing fields at the country park on Wednesday were 12 shelduck, 200 wigeon, 30 teal, 70 curlew, 18 black-tailed godwits, and two lapwing.

At the park pond were three pochard, eight tufted ducks, a calling water rail, singing chiffchaff and another in the park, a flyover siskin calling near alders, a Cetti's warbler singing at the pond and another one near the Golfhouse sluice.

Also visiting the country park on Wednesday were Mike Harris and John Slee who reported 200 brent geese, 12 shelduck, 8 shoveler, six gadwall, 252 wigeon, 20 teal, six pochard, stock dove singing, four little grebes, ten oystercatchers, lapwing, ten grey plover, ten ringed plovers, 15 curlew, 17 black-tailed godwits, ten turnstones, 60 knot, 20 dunlin, 20 redshank, three Mediterranean gulls, four green woodpeckers, two skylarks, four long-tailed tits, chiffchaff singing, white wagtail in the horse paddock, four reed bunting and ten tufted duck. At the Strood forty greylag geese and 38 shelduck were noted.

Oliver Cottis visited the Shop Lane seawall on Wednesday late afternoon to count the harriers going into their roost and saw nine marsh harriers, male hen harrier appearing at 18.18 then dropping into the reeds at 18.30pm. Also seen were two great white egrets, three buzzards, red kite and five red-breasted mergansers and also a goldcrest in Fishponds Wood.

Steve Entwistle also visited the Shop Lane seawall on Wednesday afternoon and saw a brief view of the short-eared owl on Langenhoe, also four marsh harriers, 18 grey plovers, knot, 25 dunlin, a great white egret that flew from Langenhoe to Reeveshall and was joined by a second bird, after which they both flew towards Maydays.

The kingfisher was seen perched on a culvert pipe in the Strood dyke by Steve on Wednesday morning.

Steve saw a red squirrel in his Empress Drive garden on Wednesday morning, then two red squirrels later beside Fishponds Wood in Shop Lane, while one was seen the previous day on Tuesday in Empress Avenue.